Cover breaking mechanism



June 15, 1937. P. LARIVIERE COVER BREAKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5

2 Sheets-Sheet l i N l inum Tj m INVENTOR! BY. ma/14mm. 1 +6 5 ATTORNEYSv June 15, 1937. P. LARIVIERE COVER BREAKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1935 2 sheets-sheet;

INVENTORE Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVER BREAKING MECHANISM porations of New York Application October a, 1935, Serial No. 43,301

8 Claims.

This invention is a novel cover breaking or book back shaping mechanism, available for the shaping or squaring of covers attached to the backs of books, pamphlets and the like, and

the squeezing of the book backs and covers snugly into their desired form. The mechanism hereof is particularly useful as one of the successive mechanisms in an automatic book or pamphlet covering or binding machine of the kind wherein the books travel in series with continuous motion through the machine, of which there are several known types. chine is that illustrated in the patent of Bredenberg 1,248,252 of November 27, 1917 wherein the procession of books is advanced or forwarded edgewise through the machine by means of an endless train of individual book clamps, constituting a conveyor;.and for purposes of illustration the present invention is shown as applied to a machine of that type. The invention however is applicable to othertypes of machine, for example that shown in patent of Kleineberg 1,720,-

680 of July 16, 1929 wherein the conveyor for the books consists, not of individual clamps, but of opposite elongated endless conveyor chains or connected series of squeezing plates or members between which the advancing books are held.

The general objects of the present invention are to afford a cover breaking mechanism op,- erable in a manner to coordinate its action acmechanism which is simple, rugged and compact, and which, in operation, is efiicient and powerful, to the improvement of the product or finished book. In the aspect that the mechanism not only breaks and squares the cover but squeezes and shapes the back of the book the invention may be available for the latter purpose without respect to the applying of covers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be manifest to those conversant with the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel cover breaking mechanism and the novel features of combination, arrangement and construction herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is what may be termed an end elevational view of a cover breaking mechanism embodying the invention, with certain longitudinal parts shown in transverse section.

Fig, 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. In Figs. 1 and 2 the cover An example of such a ma curately with the travel of the books, and by a breaking jaws or plates are shown in their operative position with the book and cover squeezed under pressure between them, Fig. 2 showing in dotted lines the normal retracted position before operation.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the jaws I and the parallel arms on which it is mounted, broken open to show the preferred connection between them.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are plan view diagrams, showing successive positions in the operation of the mechanism.

Fig. 1 shows the usual relation between the book B and the cover 0', corresponding to Figs. 14-16 of the Bredenberg patent. Some of the usual general parts of the machine include the central longitudinal frame member ID from which extend laterally at intervals transverse frame members |I,at the extremities of which are carried the longitudinal tracks [2 in which run the rollers (not shown) that carry the clamps l3. The articulated clamps and their rollers constitute the book conveying means.

Below the path of the book is an upstanding frame post I5, at the top of which is supported a fixed transverse table l6 which may consist of cross bars acting as supports and guides for sliding carriages to be mounted. Above the central part of the table are shown the mountings I! of a longitudinally traveling member l8 in the nature of a band, plate or series of plates, operating as a back pressing means. This is a well known device in book covering machines adapted to bear against the back edge of the book during the breaking operation. The member l8, sometimes in the form of an endless band, is usually first employed as a cover applier to bring the cover C up to the glued back of the book and press it there, continuing its pressure through the cover breaking operation; and the member [8 may be considered as a cover applying and cover pressing means or member. The cover breaking means comprises primarily a lift or outer jaw or breaker plate 20 and an opposite corresponding right jaw or plate 20*. These opposing jaws are shown as straightedged rigid plates, and they work cooperatively to apply squeezing pressure to the lower back edge of the book during its forward travel, which is preferably continuous. In general, the parts 20 etc. at the left side of the book travel are shown duplicated at the right side with the same numbers and the exponent a. However this invention can be used either at both sides or at one side only, and in the latter case with a.

suitable cooperating device or abutment at the other side working in coordination with the jaw.

The jaw hereof, or each of the jaws, is mounted and operated in a novel manner. The jaw is fitted for transverse shifting movements to and from the book path, and also for advance and return movements longitudinally of the book path. There is an automatic means for shifting the jaw to the book to close into contact therewith, namely, when in opposition to the book. There is a means for causing the jaw to advance longitudinally along the book path while in contact with the book, this being actuated from the book conveyer, specifically by friction from the book itself. Finally, this combination includes means operating during the jaw advance to cause the jaw to press wedgingly, as by cam or toggle action, against the book for heavy squeezing pressure thereon.

The particular arrangements for carrying out this plan may be varied widely. The wedging action might be by rollers and cams, but is shown produced by a swinging arm, on which the jaw is mounted, acting like a toggle on the jaw by reason of its swinging toward a position at right angles to the travel. Two such arms are shown for each jaw, as a convenient means of maintaining parallelism of the jaw to the book path. The jaw and its mountings may be bodily shiftable to the book for each operation, for example, by being carried on a carriage, shifted automatically at the proper time.

In the specific form shown the left breaker jaw 2b is mounted at the inner ends of a pair of parallel arms 2 i, and the right breaker jaw is similarly mounted and carried on parallel arms Zi By this arrangement, both of the jaws are at all times parallel to the longitudinal direction of book travel. An effective and compact arrangement for mounting each of the jaws upon its carrying is as shown in detail in Fig. 3. The inner extremity of each of the arms .2! is formed with a thin circular end portion 22. The jaw or plate 26 is shown as having a thin outward extension 23 underlying the end 22 of the arm, while overlying said end is a top or cover piece 2 1 detachably secured to the jaw. These parts 22, 23 and 2d are suitably apertured to receive a collared stud 25, which is thus confined in place as shown and forms an effective pivot for the relative motion as the arms swing.

At their outer ends, each of the pair of arms 2! for its swinging movement is mounted at the top end of an upright fulcrum shaft 2'11 turning in ball hearings in a hollow boss The two bosses for each pair of arms are formed or mounted upon a common carriage 2Q. This carriage is constructed and fitted to slide transversely upon the table or guide it for the inward or closing shift of the jaw and its retraction. The shaft 2'5 .is shown inclined slightly from the vertical, as are the arms 2! and jaw 2-9 inclined from the horizontal, this arrangement affording a more practical cooperation with the advancing book and cover and the underlying presser H3.

The closing movement of the breaker jaws upon the book is effected by sliding toward each other the opposite carriages 29 and 28 This and the subsequent retracting movement of the carriages are effected in timed relation to the advancing travel of the books, and the connections for this purpose may be as follows. Attached to the left carriage 2% is a long underneath link 30 and attached to the right carriage 29 is a short upper link 3K8. These two links extend respectively to the lower and upper extremities of a rocker or lever 3i mounted on a longitudinal shaft 32 fulcrumed upon fixed frame brackets 33. By this arrangement, the swinging of the rocker in one direction causes both carriages to approach each other and thus bring the breaker jaws to the book, while the opposite swing of the rocker retracts the carriages and jaws, with a shifting movement of small extent.

Operating connections for the rocking movement are shown as follows. An extension 3 3 of the rocker lever carriers a cam follower 35 at its extremity, spring 36 being arranged to pull the arm 3 and so keep the roller against its cam For the major part, the cam 36 consists of a dwell, whereby the cam roll takes the dotted line position, corresponding to the outward retracted position of the jaws; but the cam has a steep rise which throws the roll outwardly to the full line position and thus shifts the carriages and jaws, the latter then coming together upon the book for a brief period of squeezing pressure, following which the rise passes from under the roll and the carriages and jaws again retract. The cam 36 is shown mounted on a shaft 31 which is rotated by gears 38 from a longitudinal shaft which may be the main shaft of the machine; the gearing being such that the cam 36 makes a complete rotation in each cycle of the machine, corresponding to the passage of each clamp and book through the cover breaking position.

As the link 30 forces inward the carriage 29 to bring the jaw Zll to the book, this inward movement should be varied in accordance with the thickness of the book, and a convenient adjustment for thickness may be as follows. Where the link is connected to the carriage the link is threaded and is engaged in a threaded head 49,

'so that by turning the link its efiective length is varied for the purpose stated. When the adjustment is obtained the lock nuts 4! at the other end of the link operate to hold the adjustment.

When the jaw or jaws are brought into contact with the book they are advanced therewith in a passive manner, the supporting arms swinging as the travel of the conveyor and book operates to advance the jaw. When subsequently retracted the jaw must be returned to its initial position to operate on the next book. A stop 42 is shown against which one of the arms contacts when the jaw is in initial position, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. To return the jaw to this position there is shown a spring 43 operating upon one of the arms, to pull the arms and jaw until the cushioned stop 42 is encountered.

The mode of operation will be clear by comparison of Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the last of which corresponds in position with Figs. 1 and 2. In the normal or idle position of Fig. 4 each jaw has been retracted outwardly and between the jaws is a space wider than the thickness of the book; and the spring 63 has returned the jaw into a position with the arm 2| contacting the stop 42. A longitudinal dotted line shows the retracted position of the pivotal mounting 27 of the arm upon the shifting carriage. The book B is shown as traveling advancingly toward the observer.

About this tirne the cam 36 commences action to move inwardly each of the carriages and thereby close the jaws upon the book. By the time the jaws have contacted the book the book has advanced as shown in Fig. 5, so that its entire length may be squeezed between the jaws. The longitudinal dotted line in Fig. 5 shows that each carriage has moved inwardly by the slight extent necessary for this operation. The arm 2| is still in contact with the stop 42. The travel of the conveyor now operates upon each jaw to compel its advancing travel with the book. Specifically the friction between the jaw and book causes the jaw to advance. By this dragging action the book supplies the power to ad- Vance the jaws and thereby cause their squeezing movement toward each other, as by the toggle action illustrated, so that inefiect the book performs its own squeezing operation, requiring no other connection for swinging the arms.

When the two arms have swung into alinement or dead center, as shown in Fig. 6, the maximum squeezing action is in effect, thus efiecting the breaking of the cover as desired. The movement may be continued substantially beyond the position of Fig. 6, which corresponds also with Figs. 1 and 2, and after a suitable extent of travel the jaws are to be retracted, becoming free from the book, thereby permitting the springs to return the arms and jaws to the initial position of Fig. 4.

This generally described action may be specially modified by selecting a suitable contour to the cam 36. Thus the period of squeezing pressure may be somewhat prolonged by timing the cam 36 to allow a slight relaxation of pressure upon the carriages slightly before the arms reach the dead center position of Fig. 6. This is herein shown from the fact that the cam 36 has slightly passed its apex at the position of dead center. A destructively high squeezing pressure is avoided, while permitting a prolongation of the squeezing action and a pressure of any desired magnitude.

It will thus be seen that I have described a machine of the kind referred to, constructed according to the principles and attaining the objects and advantages of the present improvement. Since many features including matters of combination, arrangement and construction may be variously modified without departing from the underlying principles, it is not intended to limit the invention to such features except in so far as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a book conveyor for clamping and advancing books edgewise in 1ongitudinal procession, a cover breaking mechanism operative upon the back of each book while being so advanced, comprising a straight breaker jaw laterally adjacent the book path, at one side, and a straight breaker member in opposition to said jaw at the other side, a carriage for the jaw, said carriage being mounted for transverse closing and retracting movements to carry the jaw to and from the book path, the jaw having means mounting it movably upon the carriage to receive advance and return movements longitudinally of the book path, and having means operative during and by reason of its advance movement to cause it to press wedgingly against the book for heavy squeezing pressure thereon, timed means for closing the carriage toward the conveyor and book thereby to close the jaw into contact with the book when in opposition thereto, and means for advancing the conveyor and therefrom causing the jaw to advance longitudinally along the book path While in contact with the book, whereby the book is squeezed wedgingly during its travel.

2. The combination as in claim 1 and wherein is a stop means to determine the normal returned position of the jaw, and spring means to return the jaw and its mounting to such normal position when released by the retraction of the carriage. i

3. The combination as in claim 1 and wherein the mounting of the jaw upon the carriage comprises a swingable arm with pivot located to afford a toggle like pressing action as the jaw advances.

4. The combination as in claim 1 and wherein the mounting of the jaw upon the carriage comprises a swingable arm with pivot located to afford a toggle like pressing action as the jaw advances, with a stop for the return swing of the arm and a spring to return it.

5. In combination with a book conveyor for advancing books edgewise in longitudinal procession, each with its back protruding and cover adhering thereto, a cover breaking mechanism operative upon the back and cover of each book while being so advanced, comprising a back pressing member traveling in contact with the back of the book, a straight breaker jaw at each side of the book path, a carriage for each jaw, said carriages being mounted for transverse shifting movements to'close the jaw to the book path, each jaw having means mounting it movably upon the carriage to receive advance and return movements longitudinally of the book path, with means normally positioning it ahead of its squeezing position, and having means operative during and by reason of its advance movement to cause it to press wedgingly against the book for heavy squeezing pressure thereon, timed means for shifting the carriages toward the conveyor and book to close the jaws into contact with the book whenin opposition thereto, and means for advancing the conveyor and by reason of such advance causing the jaws to advance longitudinally along the book path while in contact with the book, whereby the book is squeezed wedgingly during its travel and the cover is broken thereon.

6. The combination as in claim 5 and wherein the carriage shifting means comprises a rocker, having connections to the respective carriages for shifting them, means for adjusting such connections for differences in book thickness.

'7. In combination with a book conveyor for advancing books edgewise in longitudinal procession, a book back shaping mechanism operative upon the back of each book while being so advanced, comprising a straight breaker jaw at one side of the book path, and a breaker member constituting an abutment at the opposite side, a carriage for the jaw, said carriage being mounted for transverse shifting movements to carry the jaw to and .from the book path, the jaw having means mounting it movably upon the carriage freely to receive advance and return movements longitudinally of the book path, with means returning it to a normal position ahead of its squeezing position, and having means operative during and by reason of its advance movement to cause it to press wedgingly against the book for heavy squeezing pressure thereon, timed means for shifting the carriage toward the conveyor and book to close the jaw into direct contact with the book when in opposition thereto, and means for advancing the conveyor with book and thereby causing the jaw by its frictional grip upon the book to be advanced longitudinally along the book path, whereby the book during its travel is subjected to heavy squeezing pressure.

8. In combination, a conveyor for conveying books edgewise with their back edges projecting, a straight jaw at one side of the travel path, and a breaker member constituting an abutment at the opposite side, a carriage for the jaw, mounted in the machine to shift laterally inward toward and outward from the book path, the jaw being mounted on the carriage to partake of its in- Ward and outward movements but free to be 10 moved thereon longitudinally of book travel and having means to wedge it inwards relatively to the carriage during its longitudinal advance- 

